Adjustable carpenter&#39;s square



Oct. 10, 1967 J. H. HILL ADJUSTABLE CARPENTER'S SQUARE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1966 L I I 1 l r- 'l l 1 1 l l I II |I l T1 I I l l 1 1 I I l I l 1 I |::l f L\ INVENTOR.

JAMES H. HILL FIG. 5

FiGJO D O E 2 FIG.6

FIG. 8

4% JG 4W I ATTOR'NEY-S United States Patent 3,345,750 ADJUSTABLE CARPENTERS SQUARE James H. Hill, 15381 Stratford Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95124 Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,330 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-75) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carpenters square provided with a body having longitudinally extending slots and rib means between said slots, an opening through said rib means connecting said slots, a blade pivotally attached to one end of said body and being adapted to fold into one of said slots, an arm pivotally connected to said blade, said arm being adapted to slide through said opening in said rib means and through said slots when the blade is moved on its pivot, the body being provided with a clamping device for clamping the arm thereto for holding the blade at predetermined angles with respect to the body, the arm being provided with a longitudinally extending slot which cooperates with the clamping means. The arm is provided with various scales for use in adjusting the blade with respect to the body member, and it is also provided with a scribing scale which is adapted to be used when the arm is extended from one end of the body predetermined distances for scribing various structural members.

This invention relates to an adjustable square and level for use by carpenters, cabinet makers, machinists and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved layout tool comprising an adjustable square provided with one or more levels in the beam thereof, said tool being adapted for use by carpenters, machinists and cabinet makers to facilitate marking of lumber, plastic and metal and preparing such members for the cutting thereof to form various parts of a structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carpenters tool which is compact when folded and which may .be readily unfolded and adjusted to provide a framing square, universal square, bevel square, plumb and level tool whereby the tool 'may be used to lay out roof framing pitches, rafters and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable carpenters square with which the carpenter can easily obtain roof pitches by holding the body of the square plumb and adjusting an angularly rnovableblade of the square according to certain calibrations provided to an adjusting arm, to the pitch of the roof whereby, for example, the square may be used for marking the cuts-on the siding to be provided in the gable end of a building.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved carpenters square and level in which an angularly adjustable blade of the square is pivotally attached to the body or beam thereof and which is provided with a calibrated arm pivotally attached to said blade and slidable in said body, said arm being calibrated to show different angular position-s between said blade and said body, and said arm also being calibrated so that it may be used in scribing a line when it extends predetermined distances from one side of the body.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing, in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of this tool showing the members thereof in extended position;

3,345,750 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 ice FIG. 2 shows the tool illustrated in FIG. 1 in folded position;

FIG. 3 is a top view of this device;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view showing this device employed in scribing;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of this tool;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the tool shown in FIG. 6; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate the scales provided to the slidable arm of this device.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference numeral 10 designates the body or beam of this tool. This body is provided with longitudinally extending grooves or recesses 11 and 12 which are separated by the internal ribs 14 and 15. These ribs are interrupted at 13' to form a passage through which the calibrated arm 16 may be slidably moved and into which the projection 19 of the blade 18 may be inserted, as shown in FIG. 2, when the arm 16 and blade 18 are folded into the slots 11 and 12, respectively. The arm 16 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 17 which is adapted to receive the pin or rivet 20 which is fixedly attached to the projection 19.

The screw 21 is positioned in a hole formed in the body member 10 and extends through the slot 17 of arm 16. Suitable washers are positioned around pin 21 on opposite sides of the arm 16 so that this arm may be clamped between these washers when the handle 21a, which is attached to the screw 21 by a suitable screw 21b, is rotated to'tighten this pin. One end of the blade 18 is pivotally attached by the pivot pin or rivet 22 to one end of the body 10. Thus, when the screw 21 is loosened by the handle 21a, the blade 18 may be folded toward the body member .10 and into the groove or slot 12 in this body member. The projection 19 enters the groove or slot 11 through the passage .13 and at the same time, the arm 16 slides with respect to the pin 21 and is positioned in the slot 11 parallel to the body member 10, as shown in FIG. 2.

Both sides of the arm 16 are provided with suitable scales or calibrations, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Thus, one side of this arm is provided with an angle scale A from zero to degrees so that the tool may be used as an adjustable square for laying off angles. This same side of the arm 16 is also provided with a scale B calibrated up to 7 inches or a metric scale calibrated up to 15 centimeters so that this part of arm '16 may be used for scribing, as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawing, when arm 16 projects from one end of the body 10. This same side of arm 16 is provided with a scale C for use, for example, in marking hip rafters for the bottom or horizontal cut thereof. This scale enables the user of this device to mark hip rafters for various cuts from a 2 inch rise for a 12 inch run, to a 12 inch rise for a 12 inch run. The other side of member 16 is provided with scale D for marking cuts on common rafters, barge rafters and jack rafters. This scale is in two sets. One set thereof is designated for-use in marking the horizontal cuts and the other set is designated for use in marking the plumb cuts. Scales A, C and D are adapted to be lined up against the lower edge of the body member 10 for accurate reading thereof.

It will be noted that the end 16a of the arm 16 is rounded and also that there is a close fit between the surface 16b of this arm and the internal surface 19b of the slot 19a in the projection '19. Thus, the arm 16 does not have any lateral play with respect to the blade 18 when this blade is extended from the body member 10. When the arm 16 and blade 18 are positioned parallel to each other and to the body member in the slots 11 and 12, the arm 16 may be moved longitudinally in the slot 11 and it may then be used for scribing a member.

The body of this device is provided with a laterally extending portion 23 which is at right angles to the body, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The portion 23 is provided with recesses 24 and 25 which are separated by the rib 26. Suitable holes are provided in the sides of this portion and in the rib 26 for receiving the leveling bubbles 27 and 28. Bubble 28 is employed when the body .10 is used for leveling a horizontal member, whereas, bubble 27 is used when the body 10 is placed against a vertical member to determine whether or not this member is plumb.

The modified form of this device shown in FIG. 6 is provided with a body member 10a having longitudinally extending ribs 1 4a and a and slots 11a and 12a for receiving the arm 16a and blade 18a, respectively, when the tool is folded. Arm 16a is slotted so that it is slidable with respect to the clamping screw 21c which is positioned in a hole in the body 10a and in the slot in this arm. One end of the arm 16a is attached to the projection 19b of blade 18a by the rivet 20a. Both the projection 19b and this end of arm 16:: are recessed, as shown in FIG. 7, so that the exterior surfaces of these parts are coplanar and the heads of rivet 20a are flush with these exterior surfaces.

The projection 19b is located about in the mid portion of the blade or somewhat closer to the end 18b thereof which is pivotally attached to one end of the body member 10a by the pivot pin 22a so that the projection 19b extends into the slotted or recessed body member 10a adjacent to the clamping screw 210 when the blade 18a is folded into the slot 12a of the body. When the tool is folded, the arm 16a is received by the slot 11a of the body parallel to the rib 15a.

The clamping screw 21c is provided with a head which is of hexagonal configuration. The handle 21d is provided with a recess for receiving the head of the screw 21c and it is attached to this head by the screw 21e. Suitable washers 211 are provided to the clamping screw 210. One of these washers is positioned between the arm 16a and the hexagonal nut 21g, which is positioned in a hexagonal recess in the body member 10a, so that this washer is clamped against this arm when the screw 210 is tightened by the handle 21d.

Suitable leveling bubbles 29, 30, 31 and 32 are provided to the body member 10a of this device. The bubbles 29 and 30 are used when the body member 10a is placed on a member to be leveled. These bubbles are arranged so that one is used when one side of the body member 10a is placed on the member to be leveled, and the other bubble is used when the other side of the body member 10a is placed on the member to be leveled. Bubbles 31 and 32 are used when determining whether or not a member is plumb so that this device may be used as a plumb level. Two bubbles 31 and 32 are provided to the body member so that either end of the body member may be in the uppermost position when this device is used as a plumb level. These bubbles may be attached to the body 10a in various conventional ways. For example, they may be set in suitable retaining cements so that the bubbles will be held fixedly in recesses provided in the body. On the other hand, the bubbles may be bolted onto the body to be held fixedly in the recesses provided therefor.

Arm 16a of the modified form of this device is provided with scales similar to those shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, except scale B. Since arm 16ais fixed by rivet 20a to the projection 1% on blade 18a this arm cannot be extended different distances from an end of the body member, as is true in the case of arm 16. Consequently, arm 16a is not provided With a scribing scale.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that its scope should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In an adjustable tool which may be used for marking and laying out structural members, the combination of a body member having a pair of longitudinally extending substantially parallel slots separated by rib means which is provided with an opening connecting said slots, said slots being open on opposite sides of said body member and one of said slots extending substantially from end to end of said body member,.a blade pivotally attached to one end portion of said body member in alignment with said one of said slots so that said blade may be folded into and out of said one slot, an arm having a longitudinally extending slot, means pivotally attaching said arm to said blade, said pivoting means including a projection extending from said blade, said projection being adapted to enter said opening in said rib means and extend into the other of said slots when said blade is folded into said one slot, a pivot pin attaching said arm to said projection of said blade, adjustable means attached to said body member extending through the slot in said arm clamping said arm to said body member for holding said blade at any one of a plurality of selected angles with respect to said body member, said arm being slidable through said opening in said rib means and through said slots so that said arm is adapted to be folded into the other of said slots when said blade is folded into said one slot and said projection extends into said other slot.

2. In an adjustable tool which may be used for marking and laying out structural members, the combination as set forth in claim .1 further characterized in that said other slot in said body member extends from end to end of said body member, said pivot pin passes through said longitudinal slot in said arm, said arm being slidable in said other slot in said body member when said blade is folded into said one slot so that different lengths of said arm may be projected from one end of said body member, said arm having a scale thereon to indicate the length of said arm that is projecting from said body member whereby said arm may be used for scribing a structural member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 267,381 11/1882 Thornburg 33-102 558,383 4/1896 Grim 33-88 726,973 5/1903 McKinnon 33-88 735,128 8/1903 Murphy 33-97 977,735 12/1910 Hansen 33-88 1,209,855 12/1916 LaFollette 33-98 1,394,088 10/1921 Heller 33-75 2,110,636 3/1938 Sharp 33-98 2,292,094 8/1942 Thomas 33-75 3,212,192 10/1965 Bachmann et a1. 33-75 X HARRY N. HAROIAN, Primary Examiner.

v LEONARD FORMAN, Examiner. 

1. IN AN ADJUSTABLE TOOL WHICH MAY BE USED FOR MARKING AND LAYING OUT STRUCTURAL MEMBERS, THE COMBINATION OF A BODY MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SLOTS SEPARATED BY RIB MEANS WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING CONNECTING SAID SLOTS, SAID SLOTS BEING OPEN ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BODY MEMBER AND ONE OF SAID SLOTS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM END TO END OF SAID BODY MEMBER, A BLADE PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO ONE END PORTION OF SAID BODY MEMBER IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ONE OF SAID SLOTS SO THAT SAID BLADE MAY BE FOLDED INTO AND OUT OF SAID ONE SLOT, AN ARM HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT, MEANS PIVOTALLY ATTACHING SAID ARM TO SAID BLADE, SAID PIVOTING MEANS INCLUDING A PROJECTION EXTENDING FROM SAID BLADE, SAID PROJECTION BEING ADAPTED TO ENTER SAID OPENING IN SAID RIB MEANS AND EXTEND INTO THE OTHER OF SAID SLOTS WHEN SAID BLADE IS FOLDED INTO SAID ONE SLOT, A PIVOT PIN ATTACHING SAID ARM TO SAID PROJECTION OF SAID BLADE, ADJUSTABLE MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID BODY MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOT IN SAID ARM CLAMPING SAID ARM TO SAID BODY MEMBER FOR HOLDING SAID BLADE AT ANY ONE OF A PLURALITY OF SELECTED ANGLES WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID ARM BEING SLIDABLE THROUGH SAID OPENING IN SAID RIB MEANS AND THROUGH SAID SLOTS SO THAT SAID ARM IS ADAPTED TO THE FOLDED INTO THE OTHER OF SAID SLOTS WHEN SAID BLADE IS FOLDED INTO SAID ONE SLOT AND SAID PROJECTION EXTENDS INTO SAID OTHER SLOT. 